Welcome to SETDA's National Leadership Institute's Toolkit 2006. This site was created as part of the National Leadership Institute in 2005 in Washington, DC.
   
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Background, Process & Overall Outcomes Quick Hints on Research for Busy Educators Recommended Rubrics for Evaluating Research
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Communicating Research Findings EffectivelyThe “Showing Evidence of Educational Technology’s Effectiveness” participants recognize the importance of communicating research findings effectively. However, participants also noted the difficulty and challenge of documenting program descriptions and research findings in a concise and coherent manner. To assist all SETDA members in writing brief descriptions and press releases, participants developed the following templates with specific examples to guide or at least provide a starting point for communicating research findings: This template is intended to provide a guide when writing a press release to share information and results on a particular program. This format will help to ensure that you include the pertinent information to share with the public on your program. TEMPLATE: Date (Location) Paragraph 1: Statement regarding reason for release and general statement about why this is important in education and to the broader community. Paragraph 2: Three key details about program or announcement, including any data, preliminary results, or validation of significance. Paragraph 3: Quote from organization, valued source, or heavy-hitter supporting importance of program or announcement. Paragraph 4: Three additional details or upcoming additions to program implementation or event. About Organization: Brief description of your organization. Contact: EXAMPLE: Math Scores Soar at Anywhere Middle School June 11, 2006 (Anywhere, State) Anywhere School District participates in the Immersion of Technology program which provides teachers and students with technology resources to allow dramatic changes in instruction and learning. The immersion includes laptops for students and teachers, curriculum and web-based resources, and other instruction tools. Additionally, and perhaps the most importantly, teachers receive on-going teacher training to assist in changing how the teach utilizing the new tools and resources. After two years of participating in the program, the school has identified many changes resulting from the immersion. For example, parental and community involvement has increased significantly, students are much more engaged, and discipline referrals have decreased by over 50%. Math scores have increased by 10% among 6th graders, 34% among 7th graders, and 22% among 8th graders. “The change in attitude and time on task has improved dramatically. After seeing how engaged the teachers and students are in the learning process of learning, I understand how the achievement is increasing so dramatically. The increase in parental involvement only continues this engagement at home,” said Principal, Anywhere Middle School. The program is funded through the Enhancing Education through Technology (EETT) federal NCLB program. Anywhere School District has worked with the state department of education and other partners to ensure successful implementation of the program. Twenty-five percent of the grant must be used for teacher professional development, which has been a key to the transformation of teaching and learning in the school. About Anywhere School District: Anywhere School District has an elementary, middle, and high school. More information can be found at http://AnywhereSchoolDistrict.gov. Contact: Principal, email, phone EXAMPLE: The Connection between Reading and Technology June 11, 2006 (Small City, OH) Oak Tree Elementary School in Small City, Ohio – previously one of Ohio’s lowest-performing elementary schools – raised its third-grade reading test scores by a whopping 124 percent due in large part to the infusion of technology, leadership and professional development that was funded solely through the EETT grant. In the two years, teachers and students have received extensive resources to change teaching and learning in their classrooms. This program, funded through the Enhancing Education through Technology (EETT) program, provided curriculum products and critical teacher training to help in the implementation of the resources in the classroom. Teachers in the school found that they were able to meet the needs of individual students more readily through the technology resources. Ms. Friend, a first grade teacher at Oak Tree Park Elementary School said, “Our EETT funds provided teachers with new ways to teach skills they were already teaching, but in a more effective manner. The students were more engaged because the lessons were relevant to the students and allowed teachers to help students in the specific areas they needed.” Teachers and administrators at Oak Tree Elementary emphasize the importance of having the range of resources available to systemically change instruction. The ability of teachers to work together with this new program played an important role in the successful implementation. The teachers have ownership, and the students are engaged in lessons and schoolwork. ”Our EETT grant has revolutionized the way our teachers teach and how our students learn,” said Ms. Gray, Principal at Oak Tree Park Elementary School in Small City, Ohio. About Organization: Oak Tree Elementary School is located in the Small City School District in Small City, OH. Contact: Principal, email, phone This template is intended to serve as a guide in writing and to assist in determining what information to share in a brief program description. The examples that follow demonstrate different ways to use this template in order to convey information in situations where you want to ensure a broad understanding of the program with some key data points. As you will notice, this template provides an opportunity to connect readers with additional information via other resources or specific contacts. First Paragraph:
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North Carolina’s IMPACT Program In the seven years prior to the infusion of educational technology, our school's End of Grade test score average was 77.9% of students on or above grade level. After implementing the IMPACT Model Grant, our test scores now average above 95% of students on or above grade level. Technology integration has transformed this average performing, small rural school, into an outstanding school, recognized nationally for high student achievement. Clearmont is a 2005 NCLB Blue Ribbon School and North Carolina's Title One School of Distinction. For more information on the IMPACT model and contacts for specific schools, please go to http://www.ncwiseowl.org/Impact/igrant/default.htm. Ohio’s EETT Grant Program At Maple Leaf Intermediate School, student achievement in mathematics has dramatically increased. The school’s participation in the EETT grant program has allowed the school to increase the use of technology in daily classroom instruction. The program also allowed students and teachers to increase their technology literacy and use that technology to improve student achievement as indicated by the following findings:
Winston Hills Academy has seen similar results. “I would like to re-emphasize how beneficial I believe that the EETT grant has been for Winton Hills Academy. Prior to receiving the grant our school was not using technology on a regular basis. Few teachers were comfortable using computers and our students were only exposed to pre-packaged drill type programs. The EETT grant has truly taken our students and staff to the 21st Century. Teachers are comfortable and proficient now and are regularly using technology in multiple formats. Our students are learning and using technology on a regular basis” (Christina M. Russo, Ed.D., Principal, Winton Hills Academy, Cincinnati, OH ). For more information, contact eTech Ohio at http://www.etech.ohio.gov/. |
Press Release One-Page Description Download the entire toolkit and more.
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